67 eminent citizens urge govt to release Mirza Fakhrul

A group of 67 eminent citizens in the country called upon on Friday the government to release Secretary General of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
In a statement issued on the day, they also opined that the release of Mr Mirza Fakhrul could play a key role in averting political conflicts and reinstating democratic norms.
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was arrested on October 29, 2023 from his Gulshan residence by the Detective Branch (DB) of the police.
In their statement, the signatories underscored the nation's current need for establishing a democratic political society.
They said that the arrest of Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at this time has jeopardised the peaceful, fair and inclusive election process.
They also said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself has expressed her commitment to this cause.
They further said that there was a mounting demand for achieving this objective through national elections to be supervised by an independent government within the next three months.
"It appears to us that Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is a staunch advocate of peaceful political activities. His role is widely recognised for promoting peaceful political rivalry. We believe that the release of Mirza Fakhrul can play a crucial role in reinstating democratic norms and avoiding political conflicts," said the statement.
"We hope that by releasing him promptly, the government will pave the way for a peaceful, fair, and inclusive election," the statement mentioned.
Signatories to the statement include Badruddin Umar, Salehuddin Ahmed, Anu Muhammad, Anwarullah Chowdhury, Mahbub Ullah, Ahmed Kamal, Saidur Rahman, ATM Nurul Amin, Sadrul Amin, Akmal Hossain, AFM Yusuf Haider, Sirajul Islam, CR Abrar, ABM Obaidul Islam, and others.

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